A mountain pass at 3100 metres on the road between Thimphu and Punakha, about 30 km from the capital. The 108 chortens arranged in concentric circles at the pass summit are a striking sight in any weather, and in clear conditions (best in winter) the panorama of high Himalayan peaks to the north is extraordinary. A small café sells butter tea and noodles. The pass is a worthwhile stop even on a cloudy day for the atmosphere — prayer flags, mist, and the silence of a Bhutanese mountain road.
Dochu La Pass
Mountain pass at 3100m with 108 memorial chortens and Himalayan views
A story
Dochu La pass, on the road between Thimphu and Punakha, is marked by 108 chortens built by the royal family to commemorate Bhutanese soldiers killed in a 2003 military operation that cleared Indian separatist militants who had established camps in southern Bhutan. On clear winter mornings — usually November to February — the ridge offers a panoramic view of the high Himalayan peaks: Masagang, Tsendagang, Terigang, Jejekangphu, and others.